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from Compositions by Liz Knowles
I wrote this jig with Congolese guitarist Niwel Tsumbu in mind. We met for the first time, having been put together along with concertina player Niall Vallely for a Music Network Tour in 2023. I was enthralled with Niwel’s playing but also had no idea at first how to interact with it. What we found in common were tunes in 6/8, tunes with threes as the foundation. I wanted to write a tune that brought some of what I thought I understood about his playing and his music and this is best evident in the B part of the tune. I also wanted him to feel free to play around the tune in a more “african” way than an “irish” way. This is best heard on our album, Sun Lines, released in September of 2026 and a track that combines “Frieze Britches” with “The Súgán Chair”. I named the tune for a traditional Irish chair that is made with a woven seat – an homage to the three of us weaving our styles together!
Commercial recordings:
“Sun Lines” by Niall Vallely, Niwel Tsumbu, and Liz Knowles
